The invention relates to a motor vehicle door having a support plate for mechanical and/or electrical components
Support plates typically are made from metal, more particularly from a steel plate. The support plates additionally are made from plastics which are made by injection moulding. The support plate covers a part of a large cut-out surface area (or recess) in a door inside trim. Mechanical and electrical components prefitted thereon are tested and adjusted where necessary prior to installation in the vehicle door. In order to divide the door into a sufficiently demarcated wet cell and dry cell, the cut-out recess in the inside door panel is generally sealed in addition over a large surface area by a cover foil.
From DE 83 09 452 U 1, a motor vehicle door is known whose inner support structure has a large cut-out surface area section which is covered by a door inside trim. This door inside trim is provided with a flap which can be opened up when required to reveal a part of the large surface area cut-out section in the door so that assembly work can be undertaken through this cut-out section.
The object of the invention is to develop a motor vehicle door of the kind already mentioned still further so that its manufacture becomes more efficient and more cost-effective and at the same time the conditions for integrating the component parts which are to be prefitted into the motor vehicle door are improved.
According to this, the support plate and at least one part of the door inside trim are formed as one structural group which is made jointly in one tool wherein the support plate and the door inside trim are connected together for hinged movement through a connecting area made in this tool (at the same time).
In this way it is possible to form one structural unit which can be prefitted and pre-checked where applicable and which comprises, in addition to the support plate and a part of the door inside trim, also the function elements which are mounted on the support plate or door inside trim, such as for example a window lifter, a door lock, a speaker, a door control device, a side airbag and the like.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support plate and the part of the door inside trim are made at least in part of plastics and are connected together by a hinge.
The support plate and the part of the door inside trim can be formed as injection moulded parts which are made together in one injection moulding tool, or can also be formed as blow-moulded parts formed on the basis of a tubular foundation body.
According to one variation of the invention, the support plate and the part of the door inside trim are formed as a one-piece unit. Plastics are particularly suitable when forming one integral unit comprising the support plate and door inside trim. Apart from the possibility of utilizing the injection moulding technique for manufacturing the one-piece component part comprising the support plate and door inside trim, the formation of this component part on the basis of a tubular foundation body in the form of a blow moulded part is particularly advantageous since the blow moulding technique can be applied in a very cost-effective manner and at the same time opens up numerous possibilities for design shaping. Furthermore the base material can be used to form a film hinge.
Utilizing the blow moulding technique to produce one unit comprising the support plate and door inside trim (or at least a part thereof) in the form of a substantially flat surface component part automatically leads to a double-walled element whose walls can be adapted in various areas with regard to the outer contour to the concrete requirements of each individual case. Furthermore it is possible to connect the walls together in spots, lines or over a large surface area in order to increase the stiffness of the support plate or to allow sealed apertures. By connecting together the opposing walls in part, it is also possible to produce several hollow cavities which are separated from each other and can be used for different purposes. The synergy effects, which are hereby produced, lead in particular to savings in the production and assembly costs as well as to a reduction in the weight of the vehicle door.
Particularly when the door plate and the part of the door inside trim form one integral structural unit, the hinge can advantageously be formed as a film hinge, wherein a hinge strip or woven part can also be provided which is connected to the marginal areas of the door plate and to the associated part of the door inside trim.
According to a further variation of the invention, the support plate and the part of the door inside trim are connected together through a rotary hinge. This can be made from separate hinge areas provided on the support plate on one side and on the part of the door inside trim on the other, with the two hinge areas being first made in one tool (more particularly an injection moulding tool) as a one-piece unit which can be separated into two hinge areas by breaking off the connecting elements.
This variation of the invention is also advantageous when the support plate and the door inside trim are to be made of different materials. Particularly suitable as materials for the support plate are metal plate, cast metal, injection moulded parts or blow moulded parts of plastics as well as pressed fibre materials of hemp, wood etc.
Furthermore according to the invention, detent elements can be moulded on the support plate and/or on a part of the door inside trim to allow the two parts, which are able to swivel about the hinge axis and thus fold onto each other, to be locked together. This allows safe secure handling during transport and assembly. This locking action can be released when necessary to allow servicing of the component parts and structural groups mounted on the support plate and covered by the door inside trim. When there is a need to replace the door inside trim, the door inside trim has to be separated from the support plate. To this end, the hinge connection between the support plate and the door inside trim should likewise be designed releasable, for example through the ability to be cut through, by means of an ideal break point or a tear line or other similar suitable technical means.
The door inside trim preferably only covers a part of the large surface area cut-out section in the inner door panel and keeps clear the spaces and surfaces required for the assembly work.
To simplify the guide of electric leads, it is possible to provide, on the support plate and door inside trim, associated contacts which when the support plate and door inside trim are folded together produce the necessary electrical connections. These electrical contacts can advantageously also be combined with the detent elements described above and thus at the same time undertake the positioning of the support plate and door inside trim relative to each other as well as their interlocking.
One important advantage of all the variations of the invention described above lies in providing one module which can comprise all the mechanical, electrical and electronic components of the vehicle door and thus represents one unit which can be pre-tested and prefitted. The quality and efficiency of the door assembly can hereby be improved. A further rationalizing effect is produced through the simultaneous manufacture of the support plate and door inside trim in one tool (more particularly injection moulding tool).